Cardinal Rule
by LadyRaider
Summary: Just a piece of fluff, Mulder and Scully's thoughts on the first time they realized they loved the other.
1. Scully's POV

Disclaimer: I've said it many times before, I'll say it again. I don't own anything. I am a poor 14 year old, the only thing I can take claim on is the story in itself and the extra characters (who are very brief)  
  
~**~**~**~  
  
I, Dana Katherine Scully, have broken the cardinal rule. I fell in love with my partner. I cannot tell you when exactly I fell in love with him, for im sure it was long ago, but I can tell you when I realized it. It wasn't when I had my cancer, as one might think, but after that. You would think that during what I thought were my last moments on earth I would realize just how much he meant to me. But no, im way to stubborn for something like that.  
  
The way I realized it is what strikes me as odd. We had just received a ass chewing from AD Skinner, well really Mulder was more of the receiver I just sat back and enjoyed the show. Never have I had so much fun at a cinema.   
  
We were back in our office and I was extremely bored so I took out my laptop and singed onto AOL, under the name IceQueen no less. Hey, its better that putting D-Scully or something like that. Well I was checking an e-mail mom sent me when an IM popped up. From one SpookyFox. I chuckled inwardly and looked up at where Mulder sat at his desk. He was staring at his computer screen, oblivious to the fact I was looking at him.   
  
I looked back down at the screen and read what he wrote, 'Tisk, tisk. Shouldn't you be writing a field report or something Scully? I mean you're suppose to be working, are you not?'  
  
'What about you G-Man? Shouldn't you be working too? And no, I don't have a field report to write, unlike you who I happen to know for a fact haven't written one yet.'  
  
'Ah Scully, I'll do it later…' He wrote giving just a hint of whine.   
  
'Sure. Fine. Whatever.'  
  
'Oh, don't start that again Scully. You know I hate that.'  
  
'Yes, yes I do.'  
  
'Ha, ha, your so very funny Scully.' He wrote adding a small smiley face icon that resembled an alien way to much; a little unnerving I must say. My smiley faces, however, are normal.  
  
'Mulder, your smiley face is an alien.'  
  
'I know. Cute little bastard ain't he?'  
  
I laughed out loud, causing Mulder to look at me from over the rim of his computer. I held his gaze and he typed without looking away from me, a ding tore me away from his eyes and I look down at the screen.   
  
'So you do know how to laugh. Never in a million years would I have guessed.'  
  
'You learn something new everyday Mulder.'  
  
  
  
We talked for a little bit more, nothing very important. What happened at the end of our conversation is what makes all the difference. I was just about to shut off when another IM popped up on my screen.  
  
'Scully, can I ask you something?'  
  
'Sure Mulder, what is it?'  
  
'What color underwear are wearing?'  
  
'Shut-up Mulder.' Was the last thing I said before logging off. When done I looked over the top of my computer at Mulder who was looking at me with one of those irresistible smiles. I swear no matter how much he pisses me off all he has to do is flash one of those smiles and im like putty in his hands. I smiled back and his smile only grew in size. I could feel my smile growing as well. Since its after 5 now I stand up to leave, I reached the door and he called out to me.  
  
"Scully."  
  
I turned around, "What is it Mulder."  
  
There it was again that smile, I think he does it on purpose, "Your not wearing any are you?"  
  
Feeling bold I raised an eyebrow and looked him square in the eye, "No Mulder im not."  
  
His eyes grew big and he faked a faint. I chuckled and walked out the door. Before making my way to the elevator I turned around and walked back into the office. "Go home Mulder, it a Friday afternoon, and after 5. Work is over for the next two days."  
  
That earned me a look, "Why Scully? I have no life…other than work and you."  
  
I store at him for a while my head cocked to the side just a bit, since no words formed in my mind I just shook my head and walked out the door. It was only when the doors to the elevator closed I had realized what he'd said to me.   
  
He'd basically told me that besides work I was his life. My mouth hung open for a few seconds until the elevator reached its destination. When the doors opened I forced my mouth to close and walked briskly to my car. When safe inside I could feel tears sting but fought them back…then I drove home, my mind buzzing the whole way. It was in the afternoon traffic that I realized what he said applied to me. Besides work (and my family of course, mostly my mother) Mulder was my life. Then I allowed the tears to fall.  
  
Yes, it was at that moment that I knew I had broken the cardinal rule and fallen in love with my partner. I know that it's a bit of a strange time to realize something of such magnitude but nobody ever said working with Fox Mulder was going to be easy, so why should being in love with him be easy?   
  
Though I could never openly admit this there is one thing I have to get off my chest…  
  
I, Dana Katherine Scully, am in love with Fox William Mulder. 


	2. Mulder's POV

PART TWO  
  
I, Fox William Mulder, have broken the cardinal rule. I fell in love with my partner. I can't tell you when I actually fell in love with her, per se, I think it was the day I met her, but I can tell you the moment I realized it. It wasn't when she had her cancer, I think I was in denial then, but it was shortly after that. I knew that my feelings for her were stronger than a partners should be though, when she had her cancer, I just didn't realize the full extent of those feelings.   
  
It was strange the way I realized it, we were on a stakeout, it was late and she was dozing off and I was watching her attentively. Every other minute her eyes would snap open in an attempt to stay awake, said attempt was failing, miserably.   
  
She was already all out of coffee and eying mine like it was her last meal, I picked up the cup and handed it to her-which strikes me as odd- seeing that Scully doesn't like her coffee plain. She sipped the cold, stale, coffee like it was fine wine and I watched accordingly.   
  
In another effort to stay awake she turned on the radio and let the music fill the air, she closed her eyes and mouthed the words to the song for a few minutes before growing bored of the task at hand and turning off the radio once more.   
  
"Scully, just sleep. I'll stay awake-you know me-insomniac am I. I'll wake you up in awhile."  
  
She turned to me with a frown, "Mulder, im not going to sleep on the job. I'll be fine, we've only got like 2 hours left anyway. I can stay awake-I have before- many times."  
  
"I don't doubt that Scully, you just look like you could use the sleep."  
  
"Don't worry about me Mulder, im a big girl, fully capable of taking care of myself."  
  
"Sure Scully, whatever you say."  
  
"Damn right." She quipped, cracking a smile. How-with such a lack of sleep- she could still look so beautiful was beyond me. I remember thinking it had to be an X-file. I chuckled at her and allowed a small smile to graze my lips. "But I might need to do something to keep me awake."  
  
I raised my eyebrow seductively, "Really Scully, and what would you propose we do? I've got a few ideas."  
  
"Not a chance Mulder, I was thinking more talking maybe. You know like things that happened when we were younger?"  
  
"You mean all the drama? How closely our lives resemble a soap opera?"  
  
"Like the sands of the hourglass, these are the days of our lives." She joked smiling once more. "Yeah Mulder, we never really talk about our childhood, the last time I told you something about me from high school I was just a bit tipsy, and it wasn't exactly you I was talking too."  
  
I made a mental note of the being tipsy part. "Sure Scully, just a bit. Well, you start, I'd probably bore you with my stories. You'd fall asleep before I said 3 words."  
  
As she told me about her college days I listened carefully making sure I missed no detail. The story that she told me was actually very funny. It involved an X-boyfriend of hers, he was at the same bar as her and a few friends one night and had gotten totally wasted, Scully and her friend had opted to take him home seeing he was in no state to drive, being as drunk as he was he agreed. Apparently this guy had been an ass and they were planning on revenge.   
  
"So my friend, Brittany, got an evil but brilliant thought. One of our best friends was a gay male." She said with a laugh, "We brought him over to Ethan's apartment and pleaded with him to help us with our plan. He agreed as soon as we brought the idea to the table, knowing how much of a bastard Thomas was. So we brought a very passed out Thom upstairs, undressed him, and laid him in Ethan's bed. We threw his clothes around the room along with some of Ethan's and Ethan, Brit, and I slept in the living room. I was already awake when he came to in the morning and when I heard him moving around I sent Ethan in. He left the door to his bedroom cracked open so Brittany and I could hear." Her smile grew and she laughed maliciously, "Thom knew that Ethan was gay and we could hear the horror in his voice when Ethan walked in the room. He asked Ethan why he was there and Ethan proceeded in making him believe he'd come over the night before and they'd slept together. Thom dressed quickly and flew out the door. When he saw me and Brit his face fell. It took him a while, him being still a bit disoriented, but he finally realized none of it was true and it was our plotting. Even though he didn't think it long it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The look he had on his face when he walked out of Ethan's room, pure panic, was priceless."  
  
I laugh at her story for a while. "Remind me to never get drunk around you again."   
  
"Mulder." She warns. Then smiles widely, "It's your turn."  
  
I just picked the first story that came to mind and started talking, after a few minutes of my story I turned to look at Scully and saw that she was sleeping in her seat. She shivered slightly at the chill in the air and I took off my jacket and placed it over the front of her small frame. She shifted just a bit but didn't stir, I brushed the stubborn lock of auburn hair out of her face and turned back to my surveillance.   
  
She mumbled something in her sleep and I turned towards her once again, as I sat there watching her sleep it dawned on me how much I really did care for her. That damn piece of hair had shifted again and as before I pushed it behind her ear, letting my hand linger on her cheek, "Sleep tight Scully." I said quietly and looked towards the building.   
  
Yes, it was at that moment that I knew I'd broken the cardinal rule and fallen in love with my partner. It may seem strange that I had not realized this sooner but when it comes to matters of the heart im clueless. But I do know one thing…  
  
I, Fox William Mulder, am in love with Dana Katherine Scully.  
  
~**~**~**~  
  
a/n: I know I used the whole ex-boyfriend story before, but I changed things up a bit. I just thought that story to funny to limit it to one fic. A story like that should be marveled at. Anyway, I wrote this awhile ago, and actually forgot that I had even written it. Well, hope you liked it. Please review. 


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